FreeLLMAPI is a free, open-source LLM API that routes across every provider with a real free tier. The OpenRouter models below are on the free tier of OpenRouter — reachable through one OpenAI-compatible key, with automatic failover when a provider hits its rate limit.
Free OpenRouter models (12)
| Model | Context | Free limits | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| dots-studio/dots-3-note-preview:free | 512K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | tools, vision |
| poolside/laguna-s-2.1:free | 262K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | tools |
| nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b:free | 1M | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | tools |
| google/gemma-4-31b-it:free | 262K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | — |
| google/gemma-4-26b-a4b-it:free | 262K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | — |
| poolside/laguna-xs-2.1:free | 131K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | — |
| nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b:free | 1M | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | tools |
| nvidia/nemotron-3.5-lightning:free | 1.0M | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | tools |
| cohere/north-mini-code:free | 256K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | tools |
| nvidia/nemotron-3-nano-omni-30b-a3b-reasoning:free | 262K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | — |
| liquid/lfm-2.5-2.6b:free | 33K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | tools |
| nvidia/nemotron-3.5-content-safety:free | 128K | 20 rpm, 50 rpd | — |
How to use OpenRouter for free
- Install FreeLLMAPI — the open-source router (GitHub). It runs locally and keeps your keys on your machine.
- Add a free key for OpenRouter on the Keys page — no credit card required.
- Point your OpenAI client at the local endpoint and pick a model:
from openai import OpenAI
# FreeLLMAPI runs locally; grab your unified key + endpoint on the Keys page.
client = OpenAI(base_url="http://localhost:3001/v1", api_key="freellmapi-...")
resp = client.chat.completions.create(
model="nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b:free",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)
Use every one of these through one key. FreeLLMAPI is an open-source, self-hosted router that puts all these free tiers behind a single OpenAI-compatible endpoint and fails over when one is rate-limited. Browse the catalog or go live.
Frequently asked questions
Is the OpenRouter API really free?
Yes — these OpenRouter models run on genuine provider free tiers (on the free tier of OpenRouter). Inference costs nothing; you only add a free provider key.
Do I need a credit card?
No. The providers here offer free tiers that work without a card. You add the free key once and FreeLLMAPI routes to it.
How do I call OpenRouter through FreeLLMAPI?
Install the open-source router, add the provider's free key on the Keys page, then point any OpenAI SDK at your local endpoint — see the code sample above.